Bracket



Aug. 16, 1938. c, L EARLL I 2,126,953

BRACKET Filed Aug. 12, 1955 Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED. STATES PATENTOFFlCE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to brackets or holding mechanism for securing orattaching trolley retrievers, trolley catchers or similar equipment tothe dash of vehicles such as street cars, trackless trolley coaches andthe like.

The object of my invention is to provide a bracket which is adapted tobe permanently secured to the dash of the vehicle and a case for thetrolley retriever or trolley catcher, as the case may be, adapted tocontain the operating mechanism of such device and provide cooperatingmechanisms between the bracket and the case by means of which theretriever or catcher, as the case may be, may be readily attached ordetached from the bracket and when attached may be operated to rigidlyhold the case in the bracket and to prevent vibration or rattle of thecase in the bracket.

My invention consists in providing lugs on the case or on the bracketand recesses on the bracket or the case adapted to co-act in the mannerof the well known bayonet joint and in providing a cam adapted tooperate between the bracket and a part of the case to take up the lostmotion between the lugs and the recesses which they are adapted to enterand between the bracket and the case to hold the case and bracketrigidly and to prevent any relative vibration or rattle.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification Fig.1 is a section on line of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front view of the bracket.Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are rear andside views respectively of a part of the case which is received into andsecured by the bracket. Figures 6, 7 and 8 are sections on lines 66,1-'|, and 8-8 of Figure 2.

The reference numerals are used in the same sense throughout the drawingand specification.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I provide a bracket, numeralI, adapted to be bolted to the dash of the car. This bracket is providedwith an annular flange 2 forming a recess adapted to receive thecylindrical portion 3 of the case and it is provided with the recesses 4which are adapted to receive the lugs M on the case, in the well knownmanner of the bayonet joint.

These recesses or pockets 4 are each formed with an opening 42 ofsufilcient size to admit lug l4 and a retaining wall or lips 43 behindwhich the lug may pass and be retained by it against forward movement,and they are arranged diametrically opposite each other and each hasalong its inner edge an annular rib 4| having a flat face. At one sideof the bracket midway between the two recesses 4 I arrange a seat 5 anddiametrically opposite it a seat 5| each extending a short distanceeither way from the line of the diameter and raised above the bottom ofthe recess. These seats and ribs 4| of the recesses or pockets havetheir faces in the same plane and together afford four seats againstwhich the rear face 6 of the case may rest.

A slot 52 is formed in flange 2 through which extends a Wedge shaped camI carried by axial pin 8 which has its bearing in a lug 82 on theoutside of flange 2. Handle 9 serves as means for rotating the cam onits axial pin. The cam is of gradually increasing thickness from itsupper end II to its lower end In.

In order to permit the cylindrical portion 3 of the case to be insertedin the recess formed by flange 2 the handle 9 will be swung upward fromthe position in which it is shown in Figure 2 so that the cam will beout of the way. After the cylindrical portion 3 has been inserted in therecess of the bracket and rotated to bring the lugs M in position backof lips 43 within the recesses 4 there will be a clearance between theback 6 of the case and seats 5 and 5|. By turning handle 9 to theposition in which it is shown in Figure 2 cam I is forced through slot52 into this clearance space to cause, by its wedging action,cylindrical portion 3 to move forward to force lugs l4 against the wallsof the recesses or pockets 4 with the result of holding the case rigidlyagainst any movement relative to the bracket.

In order to hold the case in a central position in the bracket and atthe same time provide abundant clearance between the flange 2 of theexterior of the case which enters said flange I provide an annularopening H in the bracket which is adapted to receive the relativelysmall projection l3 on the back of the case.

It will be obvious that the same benefits may be secured by mounting thecam I on the case and providing for its proper engagement with thebracket The importantfeature of my invention being that means isprovided for using unfinished castings for both the case and the bracketwith abundant clearances for such unfinished castings and at the sametime obtain a connection which is rigid and free from rattle. It hasbeen found that not only is the noise of the rattle objectionable in themodern quiet running street cars and more particularly on the tracklesstrolley coaches which run on rubber wheels but the continual vibrationand oscillation of catchers and retrievers in their brackets asheretofore made causes excessive wear on the

